My sweet hubby is not the most adept at housework or general chores. He is often so focused on a certain idea or project that he may not even notice the piles of laundry or dishes or trash or toys that need to be taken care of. However, on this day, he tried very hard to do something nice for me. He tried very, very hard to do a load of laundry for me while I was out. Unfortunately, as men's clothing doesn't seem to have the innate ability to shrink up and out during any given wash, my hubby didn't think to pull my shirts and such out of the dryer after about 15-20 mins. Instead, they enjoyed a little sauna time and came out crispy critters.
Exhibit A
For some gals this may not seem that bad. Let me tell you, this was a tunic blouse! This baby hit my hips. I loved it, especially since I have a long torso and already struggle to find tops that still cover my backside when I sit down...
I was really bummed, and poor Sweetie...he felt so, so bad! I'm pretty sure he's completely discouraged from ever helping me with laundry again.
So what do I do? At first, I thought I'd just have to donate it or throw it away. Truly, I was nearly devastated thinking of tossing this very new, lacey top out of my closet. But then...an idea! What if I reworked this sweet blouse into something else? What if I just cut right up the middle, and tapered the bottom hem a couple inches to make a breezy cardigan?
It was a little scary to cut right into the pretty design, but I figured I really had nothing to lose. It was actually a little cathartic. Also, hemming the bottom was easy peasy - and trust me, I'm no seamstress! I think the most I've done is make some pillow covers and sewn up the side seams on a few tops to take them in.
I think it turned out great!
Moral of the Story: Don't fret! If your favorite blouse, skirt, sweater gets shrunk in the wash, or gets paint on it, or tears right down the front...you can still enjoy it! Make a pillow slipcover or applique. Rip up the beautiful fabric and create fabric rosettes. Cut out pieces and use in a pretty quilt. Turn a shrunken blouse into a fashionable jacket!
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